WA producers bring home the bacon

Pingelly has produced some of WA’s best Aussie bacon, revealed as part of the national competition to uncover the finest examples of the product using 100 per cent Australian pork.

More than 125 bacon makers from across the country entered, with the judging panel assessing qualities such as appearance, aroma and taste.

Eurostyle Smallgoods took out the West’s top spot in the full rasher category, and The British Sausage Co took out the short cut category.

Judges described Eurostyle’s full rasher bacon as having excellent colour, a beautiful aroma, good smoke and good taste. Salume Amo from O’Connor, placed second and Mondo Doro Smallgoods, Palmyra, took third.

In the short cut category, judges said The British Sausage Co’s dry cured bacon was fresh, meaty and smooth textured. Pingelly Quality Meats took second and Eurostyle Smallgoods was third. Eurostyle co-owner Steve Hlevnjak said the secret to their bacon was that they smoked it in imported European wood chips. “It gives our bacon a fabulous flavour, and it’s low in tar,” he said.

Pingelly Meats owners Maurice and Sandra Gait say they’ve perfected their bacon and ham recipe over 21 years they had been serving farmers and the rural community. “We only buy the best local free-range pork from Corrigin and other areas and then soak it in brine for two days before smoking it for eight to 12 hours the old-fashioned way using woodchips” Mr Gait said.